John Swinney challenged on falling teacher numbers at First Minister's Questions (2024)

Live Reporting

Edited by Paul McLaren

1. 'Public finances are under enormous pressure'published at 12:17

   12:17

   The first minister lists his government's achievements in education - including "the transformation of the educational estate" in Scotland, £145m for recruitment of teachers and reform of Education Scotland and the SQA.

   John Swinney reiterates that "public finances are under enormous pressure" and he will set out his commitments as budget decisions are taken.

2. Ross accuses Swinney of 'broken promises' in educationpublished at 12:13

   12:13

   Douglas Ross insists John Swinney did not answer his question on the pledge to increase teacher numbers by 3,500.

   "We were supposed to have a different style of politics, but it sounds like the excuses are the same as we've had before," the Scottish Tory leader says.

   He adds John Swinney's record in education (he was a previous education secretary) has been one of "broken promises".

3. Teacher numbers commitments given in 'good faith' says FMpublished at 12:11

   12:11

   

   John Swinney says the teacher numbers commitments were given in "good faith".

   The first minister wants to work with councils to deliver them.

   He tells the chamber the public finances are under pressure due to inflation and the persistence of austerity measures from the Westminster government.

   Swinney tells parents across Scotland there will be a sustained investment in education and maximisation of the investment his government can make available.

4. Ross begins FMQs with question on teacher numberspublished at 12:05

   12:05

   

   Douglas Ross gets FMQs under way by highlighting that, yesterday, parents in Glasgow were protesting against cuts to teacher numbers.

   In Glasgow, 100 teachers have already gone and that is projected to rise to 450, says the Scottish Tory leader.

   He asks if the first minister will be honest with pupils, parents and teachers and say whether he will stick to his promise to increase teacher numbers by 3,500 in this parliament.

5. Swinney's inaugural FMQs as first minister begins at noonpublished at 11:53

   11:53

   Image source, PA

   John Swinney will shortly face his inaugural FMQs as first minister.

   It comes after he appointed Kate Forbes as his deputy first minister and cut the post of independence minister from his government.

   The new appointments are expected to be approved by Parliament this afternoon.

   But before that you can watch FMQs here on this live with us, just click on the play icon at the top of this page from 12:00.

6. This is not Swinney's first rodeo... but it will still be a tense timepublished at 11:42

   11:42

   David Wallace Lockhart
   BBC Scotland political correspondent

   It’s been quite the week for John Swinney – MSPs voted forhim in as first minister, he swore his oath to take office, and he appointedhis cabinet.

   And there’s more to come. He’ll take his first session ofFirst Minister’s Questions in around 20 minutes.

   We should be clear, this is not John Swinney’s first rodeo –he stood in for Nicola Sturgeon at her weekly grilling plenty of times when hewas her deputy.

   But this is the first time he’ll be taking the questions as first minister in his own right.

   Remember, he doesn’t know what opposition leaders will askhim about. Thursday morning is a tense time of the week, even for a first ministerwho’s been in office for a long time.

   But it’s worth watching how the new first ministerapproaches this session. It’s sure to set a tone for how John Swinney plans togovern.

7. Opposition not impressed by Swinney's cabinetpublished at 11:32

   11:32

   Image source, PA Media

   The first minister says his cabinet "blends experience and energy with a strong focus on the priorities my government will pursue".

   But what have the opposition had to say?

   Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross took to X, formerly known as Twitter, writing: "John Swinney doesn't want to be labelled the continuity first minister but he has just spent hours reappointing the entire cabinet he inherited from Humza Yousaf to the same posts they failed in before."

   Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie labelled the reshuffle "uninspiring" and called for an election while Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar wrote on X: "The continuity cabinet. All about managing their party, nothing to do with running the country.

   Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, also took to X - posting a road sign reading "No right turn" while his fellow co-leader Lorna Slater told BBC Scotland News she had "definite concerns", particularly around a lack of minister for climate change.

   Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the largely unchanged cabinet is "a recipe for disappointment".

   He added: "This parade of familiar faces proves that nobody in the SNP ever pays the price despite one in seven Scots being stuck on NHS waiting lists, sewage dumping in our rivers reaching record levels, and islanders waiting forever for ferries."

8. Rennie declares victory in campaign to 'Free The Cumbernauld One'published at 11:24

   11:24

   Image source, Getty Images

   Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie has cheekily responded to John Swinney removing the specific role of independence minister from his cabinet. The position had been held by Cumbernauld and Kilsyth MSP Jamie Hepburn.

   Rennie said: “For months I have been campaigning to freethe Cumbernauld One from the drudgery of producing independence paper afterindependence paper that no one reads.

   “I am delighted to say that goal has nowbeen achieved.

   “The Scottish government needs to have alaser focus on the issues that really matter, like tackling long waits forhealthcare and violence in our schools.”

9. Sunak and Swinney agree to disagree about independencepublished at 11:08

   11:08

   Image source, HENRY NICHOLLS / REUTERS

   Just before John Swinney appeared on the steps of Bute House with his cabinet on Wednesday, he spoke to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on the phone.

   The first minister raised the issue of child poverty and the pair agreed to disagree about independence. They agreed to work constructively.

10. WATCH: Who is John Swinney, Scotland's new first minister?published at 10:59

    10:59

    John Swinney will be preparing for his first FMQs as Scotland's seventh first minister.

    He has been involved at the top end of Scottish politics across four decades, but exactly how?

    From his first election as an MP in 1997, to his record as deputy first minister and reputation for heckling, BBC Scotland political correspondent Kirsten Campbell looks back at the SNP leader's decades-long political career.

    Video by Pippa Ligertwood.

11. Slater: If the government want our support, they know where to find uspublished at 10:45

    10:45

    Image source, PA Media

    Co-leader of the Scottish Greens, Lorna Slater, says she has "definite concerns" around cabinet roles - or the lack of them.

    The Greens were of course kicked out of government by former First Minister Humza Yousaf when he scrapped the Bute House power-sharing agreement.

    "There isn't a minister for the environment," Slater says. "That makes me worry for the future of the natural environment bill which had been in the programme for government when the Greens were in government and doesn't seem to be there now."

    Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme, Slater says the government will have to work with different parties on different issues, adding: "If there's a policy the Scottish government wants our support on, they know where to find us and they know what our priorities are."

    Slater says the Scottish Greens are currently experiencing a surge in membership.

    "I think that lots of people particularly people in theLGBTQ+ community are now looking at the SNP and going oh my goodness, is thisreally the home for me?"

12. Why did Swinney decide against having a minister for independence?published at 10:34

    10:34

    Kirsten Campbell
    BBC Scotland political correspondent

    Some independence supporters may be dismayed by the lossof a dedicated minister for independence when John Swinney unveiled his cabinet yesterday.

    Within the SNP, Jamie Hepburn is consideredto have done a good job in the role and has been rewarded with a job, asMinister for Parliamentary Business, which entitles him to attend cabinet.

    But opposition critics always argued it was an outrageouswaste of public money, that in a cost of living crisis there should bedifferent priorities.

    Removing thededicated minister neutralises that line of attack.

    The series of policy paperssetting out the Scottish government’s vision for independence is nearingcompletion, and Humza Yousaf - who made a leadership campaign promise to createsuch a post - is no longer in office.

    The cabinet secretary for the constitution,Angus Robertson, will retain oversight of the issue. But it’s understood thatthe new first minister takes the view that promoting independence should be part of every minister’sjob, not just one.

13. All government ministers focused on independence in Europe, says SNP MPpublished at 10:25

    10:25

    Image source, Getty Images

    As we've been reporting, the role of minister for independence has been removed from the new John Swinney cabinet.

    SNP MP Alyn Smith tells Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme having Jamie Hepburn as the independence minister worked effectively to focus government on getting the independence white papers published.

    "There's been a series of them which I think need a much wider audience and greater attention," he said

    John Swinney has also ditched the ministerial position that looked at Europe and international development.

    Smyth said: "That's been subsumed into Angus Robertson's role as cabinet secretary for external relations and the constitution, as indeed the independence minister has.

    "I'm less hung up on titles and positions. I'm more focused on whether the work is actually happening."

    The SNP MP says work will "absolutely continue" and all government ministers are focused on independence in Europe.

14. What about the junior ministers?published at 10:18

    10:18

    Details were given last night of 14 non-cabinet ministerial appointments, down from the previous figure of 16, with the role of minister for independence now removed.

    Jamie Hepburn - who previously held that remit - takes over as minister for parliamentary business from George Adam.

    Adam is leaving the government to return to the backbenches along with Emma Roddick and Joe FitzPatrick.

    Ivan McKee, a key ally of Kate Forbes who quit government in the wake of Nicola Sturgeon's resignation, returns as minister for public finance.

    Read more here.

15. Swinney sworn in and new cabinet unveiled: Yesterday's headlinespublished at 10:14

    10:14

    As a reminder, here are the main headlines following yesterday's historic events:

    • Kate Forbes has returned to the Scottish government as deputy first minister, with responsibility for the economy and Gaelic
    • The former finance secretary was appointed by new first minister John Swinney who unveiled an almost entirely unchanged cabinet
    • Forbes said: "This is a moment of extraordinary privilege for me."

    • Shona Robison has stepped down as deputy first minister, but will remain in the cabinet with responsibility for finance and local government
    • Swinney was making his cabinet appointments at his official residence, Bute House, after being sworn in at the Court of Session this morning
    • The FM said : "I have selected a cabinet team that blends experience and energy, with a strong focus on the priorities my government will pursue — eradicating child poverty, driving economic growth, meeting climate obligations and investing in our vital public services."
    • Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie has raised concerns about Forbes' return to office
    • Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said the "uninspiring" new cabinet would deliver "more of the same"
    • Speaking for Scottish Labour, MSP Daniel Johnson said simply changing people's job titles isn't going to cut it
    • The new cabinet was a "recipe for disappointment", argues Scottish Lib Dems leader Alex Cole-Hamilton

16. The new cabinet...and Kate Forbes is backpublished at 10:06

    10:06

    Image source, Getty Images

    If you missed yesterday's big news, John Swinney unveiled his new cabinet after being sworn in as Scotland's seventh first minister.

    Swinney's new team is largely unchanged from the one he inherited from former FM Humza Yousaf - with one very notable exception.

    Kate Forbes, who had been tipped to challenge Swinney for the SNP leadership before giving him her backing, is brought into the fold as the new deputy first minister.

    Here's a full list of the Swinney cabinet and their portfolios.

    • John Swinney, first minister
    • Kate Forbes, deputy first minister, economy and Gaelic secretary
    • Shona Robison, finance and local government secretary
    • Jenny Gilruth remains education and skills secretary
    • Angela Constance remains justice and home affairs secretary
    • Måiri McAllan net zero and energy portfolio
    • Fiona Hyslop remains transport secretary
    • Neil Gray remains health and social care secretary
    • Shirley-Anne Somerville remains social justice secretary
    • Angus Robertson remains constitution, external affairs and culture secretary
    • Mairi Gougeon remains rural affairs, land reform and islands secretary

17. Good morningpublished at 10:05

    10:05

    Image source, Jane Barlow/PA

    Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of First Minister John Swinney facing his first FMQs at Holyrood in his new role later today.

    It comes after he appointed Kate Forbes as his deputy first minister and cut the post of independence minister from his government.

    The new appointments are expected to be approved by Parliament this afternoon.

    Before that, you can watch FMQs here with us from noon. Just click on the play icon at the top of the page.